The birth day

May 26, 2010, such a great day!

It started with me getting a whopping 2 hours of sleep the night before. My mind was going crazy thinking about the induction and the unknown, and I was staring at the clock most of the night hoping I wouldn't miss my alarm. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 7:30am and I was to call in an hour before to confirm. I called about 6:15 and was told to call back at 6:45 since the charge nurse was not there yet and she needed to check the staffing for the day. I called back and was told to show up at 9am, no need to call back. About 45 minutes later the hospital called me and said they are really full and they aren't sure if I will be able to get in today. I should show up at 9am anyway and they will re-evaluate and give me an NST to check the babies. I was bummed. I was so ready. I just hoped if I couldn't be induced today, they could get me in tomorrow and not next week.

Hubby and I showed up at 9am and was immediately whisked back to my labor room. I was so happy!! I found out later they had labor rooms, but the postpartum rooms were the full ones. They went around and rushed some women out who were planning to leave later in the afternoon.

Anyway, I was brought into the labor room and changed into the super sexy gown. I kept waiting for my nerves to kick in, but they never really did. I just kind of rolled with the flow. The only two things I was nervous about was getting the IV and the epidural. Getting the IV did suck, but it wasn't that bad I guess. She started me off on just some fluids. The pitocin would come after my water broke. I was also strapped with the fetal monitors. I was having some mild contractions, but nothing major. I was checked and was still 3cm dialated and now 75% effaced. Noon rolls around and Dr. M showed up to break my water. Ew. That was so gross. I was already uncomfortable from having a man's hands jammed up there (by the way, my woman nurse was so much more gentle), but they the sudden gush of warm water was disgusting. I felt like I peed a gallon and every time I moved it gushed a little more. Eck.

I also had a fetal monitor attached to baby A's head, since the monitor on my belly kept sliding around and we kept loosing the heart beat. I had a contraction monitor inserted too. The internal contraction monitor measured not only the contractions, but the strength of them. The belly one just measured whether I had one or not.

After my water was broken they hooked up the pitocin to get things going. At first it was nothin, just a little stronger contractions, but not bad. Then it started to get bad. I asked about the anesthesiologist and how long it would take for him to get here. The nurse asked when I wanted the epidural, and I said now. I had no idea how long it would take for him to get there and how long it would take for the meds to kick in. I didn't want the contractions to get that much stronger. It actually didn't take him long at all to come in. We chatted for a minute and then he got to work. Man was I nervous! I had to keep being reminded to relax my shoulders and hunch over...which is hard to do when your tense. I was shaking. I'm guessing it was the combination of the contractions and my nerves, but my legs were shaking. The nurse was so sweet rubbing my arms and using her legs to try to still mine.

Ya...epidurals suck. As he was trying to get it placed it hit every bone on the way down. Ouch. I was trying to stay cool, but I felt the tears coming. Then I'm informed he needed to move up a little, this one didn't work. Boo! He started attempt number two, once again hitting some spine on the way down. Hubby was able to stay during the procedure, which I was surprised about. He got me some tissue for my tears, because by this point I wouldn't hold back the water works. I was also reminding myself to breathe, but also had to make sure I didn't make myself hyperventilate. Finally it was placed and I felt the zing down my left leg that it was working. I was so happy it was over!

Pretty much from that point to when they whisked me away to the OR to deliver is a blur. The contractions go stronger and stronger and by 4:30 I was feeling major pressure. By 5pm I wanted to start pushing. Well "want" isn't the right word. I NEEDED to start pushing. It's amazing the so-called "urge" sounds so mild, but really the "urge" is something basically uncontrollable. At first I was told to try not to push...ya...right. It's next to impossible.

So at 5pm, I was wheeled away and they used a hoist to move me from my bed to the OR bed since I couldn't use my legs and I was MEGA uncomfortable. I was just moaning and sweating and gripping the side of the bed. The next thing I know I'm in position and told to start pushing. In three pushes Baby A (K) was out. She was taken right over to the isolette to get cleaned up. Listening to her cry was just amazing!

After A was out I couldn't feel my contractions anymore. I was told when I was having one and told to push. At that point I couldn't tell if I was pushing either. Apparently I was doing it right, because only two pushes later Baby B was out. She was a little more lethargic and she too was brought right over to her isolette. After a minute or two they got her crying too.

I ended up having a second degree tear so I had to be stitched up. They had turned off my epidural when I started pushing and it must have started to wear off quick because I felt the doc stitching me. I had to be injected with some Lidocaine. While he was working on my the babies were passed over to me and I got to hold them both. Such sweet girls!! We were able to get some good pictures the nurses took our first family pics!

Recovery has actually been pretty good. I feel so much better not being pregnant anymore. I still have some pelvic pain, but it's getting better. I'm sure it just needs time to heal. My tear is healing fine I think. I've taken a little pain meds to help with minor pain from that and my back ached from the epidural.

My milk should have come in on Saturday (at least I was told it would). I was pumping consistently, but still I wasn't getting anything. I quit pumping Saturday night. Last night, well technically this morning, I was rolling over in bed and realized my shirt was wet. Well, whaduya know it was my milk. I got about 3.5 oz from the first pump. Since then it has only amounted to about an ounce and a half. Not nearly enough to satisfy my babes who are chowing down on up to 3oz a feeding, but it is better than nothing I guess. I hope I can build up my supply, we'll see.

Well, since I've been working on this post on and off for the last three days, I suppose I'll post it now. I know there are things I'm forgetting, but oh well...